Reunited
by CJFanatic
Summary: Future. Woody's back, after almost five years. Why did he leave, and what's Jordan got to say about it? Hopefully JW. Please read and review! Rating for a few words.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Crossing Jordan. No matter how much I wish I do!**

She rolled over and slapped her alarm clock as hard as she could. 5:32. The alarm clock never lied.

Groaning, Jordan pulled herself out of bed. There wasn't much else for her to do, anyway. Work was all she had left now. She went into the bathroom, got into her shower. She took ice cold showers now. They woke her up from the dream she wished she was living.

Stepping out of the bathroom, now dressed and ready to go, she sighed and looked at the calendar. A piece of computer paper was taped next to it, with tally marks. Grabbing a pencil, Jordan marked off one more day. 1700 days. Four years, seven months since she'd seen him last.

She didn't ever want to think about Woody again. But she forced herself to, every day, to remind herself of guys who couldn't be trusted. There was no way she was letting herself go through that again. No way in hell was she going to let herself find a guy that she would trust. They'd all managed to hurt her in some way or another. Him? He'd left.

Yeah, that's right. He'd left. One night, not long after the night at Lucy Carver Inn, he'd dropped by. Somehow they'd ended up in bed. Funny, really. The same could have been said about the night at the inn. Somehow. Guys always get what they want. She'd woken up the next morning, happy, content, finally knowing after four years, the inevitable had happened. Full of hope for what would happen next. She'd smiled and turned over, expecting to find Woody there, with her. Instead, she found a cold bedspread. She'd jumped out of bed. No clothes left. No note. Nothing to indicate he'd ever been there.

She was a wreck. Rushed out to the morgue. To the precinct. Although, she already knew somehow. Every day after that was a painful reminder. Every case she worked, knowing Woody should've been there with her. His boss told her he'd turned in his letter of resignation a week before he'd left. Men were all the same. She was with them. Then she wasn't. Woody had been the last example of that. Why did she bother, really?

Somehow she'd gotten through that nightmare. The morgue staff helped her, and she got back on her feet again. Never lost her impulse; hit the ground running on cases that needed to be solved. But everybody could sense something had gone out of her. She just wasn't the old Jordan anymore. The new Jordan never let herself get attached to anybody. She'd perfected her poker face, which became her permanent facial expression. Nothing bothered her anymore. Gory bodies, sick killers, everything that passed through the morgue—the face never changed. She never cried, and rarely smiled. She wasn't interested in going anywhere after work anymore; she usually went straight home. Her colleagues were worried about her, and she knew it. But she'd rather know that they worried than let them in.

Jordan left her apartment, headed to the morgue. Grabbed a cup of coffee on her way in, and settled into her office. On her desk where three new cases waiting for her. And… a vase. Flowers? A bouquet of lilies sat on her desk. She grabbed the index card attached with a rubber band. In an instant, she recognized the loopy handwriting. Her heart sank.

Jordan,

Long time, no see! We have to talk. Meet me across the street at the coffee shop at 1:00? Missed you! See ya at 1.

-Woody

_No_. How could he do that? He wasn't _allowed_ to do that. He wasn't allowed to waltz back into her life and expect her to be waiting with open arms. Who did he think he was? Locking her office door, she took the lilies and dumped them in the wastebasket. She threw the vase against the wall, glass and water spraying everywhere. She banged on her desk, threw pens at the wall, ripped paper. Finally, Jordan slumped down on her desk in exhaustion and let the tears take over.

In the hall, Nigel, Lily, Bug, and Garrett stood outside her door, listening to the sobs worriedly. She'd locked herself inside for over an hour and half now, and the banging and shattering had stopped. Garrett looked at his three companions.

"Guess she found out, hm?"

"No kidding," said Lily.

"I've got a master key. Should I use it?"

"No." said Lily firmly.

"Why not?" asked Nigel incredulously. "She obviously needs help in there."

"Well, Nige, I wouldn't expect you to understand. Jordan just needs to be left alone right now. Or at least have a _girl _in there with her…" She held out her hand expectantly to Garrett.

The three guys exchanged looks, then Garrett sighed. Lily gingerly took the key, and waved the three men away. Knocking quietly, she called, "Jordan?" and opened the door. The office was completely demolished. Glass and water were all over the floor, files and papers, pen marks all over the walls, and some blood were the glass must have hit Jordan. Jordan was at her desk, and didn't even look up when Lily approached.

"Jordan? You okay?"

"Does it _look_ like I'm okay?"

"Sorry. C'mere…"

Lily hugged her friend, then grabbed some tissues and band-aids.

"Let's get you cleaned up. This isn't the end of the world, you know…"

"That bastard. Read this damn note. 'Missed ya'? 'Long time no see'? It's like he never left. It's like he can't even comprehend I hate his guts. Does he even know what he did? What the hell's wrong with him?"

Reading the note, Lily sighed. "You should go, Jordan. You need to go talk to him. You guys need to talk."

"Oh, I'm going all right. But not to talk. Thanks, Lily. Where are Garrett and Bug and Nige?"

"Oh, just probably huddled next to the doorknob, listening to our conversation."

Jordan opened the door. The three men tumbled inside in a heap, suddenly throwing excuses in the air.

"Autopsy in exam 1…"

"This case needs…"

"A report for you…?"

Jordan looked at the three guys, who got up. She smiled a rare, small smile.

"Thanks, you guys. I don't know what I would have done after… well, if you guys weren't there for me." Giving them all a hug, she headed toward the elevator.

"Garrett, sorry, but I've got an appointment at 1 that I would just _hate_ to miss." She jabbed at the down key on the elevator and stomped inside.

The four figures looked after her retreating figure. Garrett frowned.

"I should be worried, shouldn't I?... I mean for Woody…"

"Yeah, right. He deserves whatever he's got coming to him, Garrett. And you know it." said Lily.

**This is like, my first _real_** **fanfiction. Please review and tell me what you think. I'm not sure where this is going AT ALL. I just had a few thoughts and I threw it onto paper. I'm not sure if I'm going to finish this, but please tell me what you think so far! Constructive criticism is going to be sooo appreciated! Thanks **


	2. Chapter 2

Arriving at the coffee shop, Jordan spotted Woody through the glass window. Four years hadn't done him any harm. He was just as cute as always. She'd at least hoped he'd look worse a little bit… so much for that strategy.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door and went in. He smiled when he saw her.

"Hey! Long time, no see! How are you?"

Jordan wanted to kill him for his easy-going sound, as if he thought that she shouldn't be mad at him, as if they'd been friends forever, as if they'd just seen each other yesterday. She clenched her jaw.

"You… really don't want to be talking to me… in front of all these people. Let's go."

His smile vanished as she grabbed his coat and steered him out the door and into her car.

"Much better. Somewhere where dozens of people won't be able to see as well when I stab you to death."

Woody sighed. "Jordan…"

She cut him off.

"Don't even start, Woody. What the hell was that? Four and a half years, Woody? And you have the nerve to send me flowers? What, did you think I would just forget? Yeah, because that's so easy to do. A guy coming after me for four years, I let him in, he leaves me alone in bed the next morning. Packs up his office, leaves, and doesn't even try to contact me for four and a half years. Brilliant, Woody. And to what do I owe this unexpected honor of you waltzing into my life? No, wait. Don't even tell me. I don't want to know. What gives you the right to come into my life again and rearrange everything I've known for almost five years now? I don't want to be your friend. I don't want to even hear a word out of you. If you need reports from the morgue, you go through Nigel, Bug, or Garrett. I don't want to see you, talk to you, have any contact with you. I'm not putting myself through that again. Don't come to my apartment, don't find me at work, don't leave me notes, messages, or emails. I won't work on your cases, you won't work on mine, you'll come to the morgue only for a case, and I won't ever see you, let alone talk to you. Okay? Yeah, well, that's about it. Bye." She drew a long breath. By the end, she was screaming… holding back tears. There was no way she was ever going to let this man see her vulnerable again. She would never cry in front of him. Ever.

"Jordan..."

Jordan slipped out of her car, waiting for Woody to get out on the other side, then locked it. She turned around and headed back to the morgue, letting tears take over and leaving Woody standing alone on the sidewalk.

Four anxious faces looked at her as she got off the elevator. She didn't look at any of them, instead ran into her office, without even bothering to close the door. Lily came in and closed the door gently, and held Jordan while she cried. It was the most emotion Jordan had showed since… well, since Woody had left. Lilly hugged her friend as they sat together on the couch.

Outside of Jordan's office, three guys stood in a huddle. They looked out the window and saw Woody standing on the sidewalk.

"Let's go see what ol' Woodrow has to say about this all?" said Nigel.

"Sure thing… let's go"

C.J. C.J. C.J. C.J. C.J. C.J. C.J. C.J. C.J. C.J.

"Woody?"

"Hey, guys…"

Garrett gnashed his teeth. "Woody… to put this the most polite way… what the hell are you doing here, where the hell have you been for the past four and a half years, and do you damn well know what you've done to Jordan?"

"Whoa, Garrett…" muttered Nigel.

"It's fine, Nigel. I guess I deserve what's coming." sighed Woody. "I… went back to Wisconsin. There was some… unfinished business there. When it… ended, I came back. I've been back for two days… and here I am."

"Gee, Hoyt, could you be a little more vague? Sorry, I just don't do specifics all that well." snapped Garrett.

Woody sighed again. "I… I never told anybody in Boston about this. It's kind of a long story. Coffee, anybody?"

The four men walked into the coffee shop and sat, briefly giving orders.

"Cough it up, Woody," said Bug. "It's been long enough."

Woody sat back, running his hands through his hair. "Okay…"

"When I came to the Boston P.D., I left Wisconsin, obviously. Annie. You know the story. Well, I, uhh… I didn't only leave Wisconsin because her father didn't let us get married. I uh… asked her to marry me… two days after I found out she was pregnant."

"What? You… you… have a…" sputtered Nigel.

"Yeah. And… I couldn't… be with Jordan if I knew I'd left so many loose ends in Wisconsin. I've been sending money, you know, to help her out, and stuff. Anyway, I went back. Annie saw me. Pretty much the same reaction as Jordan just now. But she understood why I was back. My son's name, it's… was Matt. Matthew. He is… was… a great kid. I've spent the past four and a half years in Wisconsin. I had a small place out there. Sold, now."

"And what about you and Annie?" asked Garrett quietly.

"Us? No. She knew it could never happen. It was too old… too messy… too much hurt. Matt, he… was nine years old. He understands… understood … that his mom and I weren't going to be together. It's amazing how he could take it. After I left Wisconsin, Annie confronted her dad about two years later. He told her what he'd said. Out of remorse, I guess. He… regretted what he said to me, after seeing what it did to her. But… there are some things that can't be taken back, I guess."

"Woody, why didn't you call? Why didn't you at least tell one of us… Jordan deserves to know, Woody. She needs to know there was a good reason why you left Boston. Why did you leave so suddenly? Woody… what happened to Matt?" asked Garrett.

"I… got news about four months before I left the Boston P.D. that… Matt was sick. He had cancer… he was just five years old. Annie called me. I needed to see my son, guys. For five years of his life he just got cards from me. Money. Presents. Not even personal presents. Just generic… toy cars, comic books… never knew what he liked, what he wanted. I never even called him. Not once. It hurt too much… Annie was angry. But I was in Boston… and… I told myself that there was nothing she could do if I was so far away. He pulled through the cancer. I spent most of the past four and a half years with him like a normal dad. Played baseball with him, went swimming… taught him all the stuff I learned as a kid. I… couldn't tell anybody. It would have been… too much shame… pain. What was I going to say if I called? 'Hey, Jo, never told you this, but uh, I fathered a kid, his name is Matt, he's five years old, and he's got cancer. I'll see you in a few years, while I try to make up for the years I've been a deadbeat dad. I'll be back and then I'll want to be with you after hanging out with my ex for a little less than five years, k?'

"Well, yeah!" interjected Garrett. "What did you think would happen? Jordan wouldn't be mad! Hell, we would have _all _rooted for you. What were you thinking, Woody?"

"There was nothing I could say, Garrett… you have to understand… please. I… I had a screwed up life. And… six months ago, Matt relapsed. There was no warning and this time the cancer spread rapidly. There was nothing doctors could do for my son. He passed away two months ago. I… couldn't stay there anymore. There were just too many bad memories then. Annie… Matt… Annie's father… my family… too many questions. Too much hurt. Too many cuts that didn't need to be reopened. So… I left." Tears were streaming down Woody's cheeks.

"Matt… he was an amazing kid. He had my eyes. And we spent a lot of time together. Annie… was wonderful about it. She'd bring him over and the three of us would play games together… no, guys, I know it sounds like it's impossible that me and Annie were just friends, but that's all we were. There was no way in hell we could do that again. No way we were going down that road again."

There was silence around the coffee table as Woody finished his story. Garrett looked at his watch. "We should probably get going, guys."

"Yeah, okay. Listen, guys… do me a favor… don't tell Jordan. I… I need to be the one to tell her." said Woody.

"That uh, might be a little hard, Woody." said Bug quietly.

"Yeah, I know. I'm supposed to get out of her life. I know. But… I need to do this my way, guys. Please."

"Woods, you know, she might let you in… if she knew… if she even had just a little hint… of it." said Nigel.

"I know. But… I don't want to be let back in her life as a pity party. I want to get back in because she lets me. Because she wants to let me back in. And that'll be in her own time.

"I understand," said Garrett. "He's right. Nige, Bug… nothing to Jordan."

"And what about Lily?" said Bug.

"Tell her if you want…" said Woody. "But please… just not Jordan."

"WOODROW HOYT!" came a loud voice from the other end of the road. There stood a malicious Lily…

**Not sure where this is going yet… suggestions welcome? Comments, too! I just wanted to post this chapter but I have no idea what's happening in the next one!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Here we go…" muttered Bug. He'd never seen Lily so infuriated. Actually, judging from the look on the other men's faces, none of them had either.

"WOODY HOYT… WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING HERE?" yelled Lily from the other side of the road. Luckily for Woody's neck, there were cars driving past, not slow enough for Lily to run to the other side. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY DOING THIS? WHY ARE YOU HERE? AND JUST LEAVE…"

"Lily! Calm DOWN!", yelled Garrett above the traffic. "You need to come _over_ here and hear the story.

"Fine." snapped Lily. She took one look at Woody and took a step into oncoming traffic. The car screeched and beeped past, Lily just barely getting past. Unfazed, she stomped across the asphalt and planted herself in front of Woody. "This had better be a _damn_ good explanation. Jordan's packing up her office. She wants to take a leave of absence."

"How long?" asked Nigel.

"Well, Nige, as long as this scum is at the Boston Police Department." snapped Lily. "So let's hear it, Woody. What's this great big reason of yours that you had to leave Jordan _in bed_, no less."

"Come to think of it, Woody, why _did_ you have to leave… so early?" said Garrett. "Would it have killed you to like, wait until she woke up at least?"

Woody sighed and avoided Lily's eyes.

"Oh, my gosh. You really didn't, did you? You really did walk out on her?" said Lily. "I'd at least hoped that she was lying, that she saw you, that…"

The five people stood on the sidewalk, Woody shifting uncomfortably on his feet. They were interrupted by Jordan's voice.

"Garrett, sorry to leave you hanging like this, but actually, no, not really sorry. I've had these papers in my desk a while…" she handed him a letter for a leave of absence. "I don't know how long I'll be gone—and no, where I'll be going—but here's a few possible replacement names. I've talked to some of the people on the list. The ones with the red checkmarks. Sorry, you guys." She brushed past Woody and hugged each of her friends. Then, grabbing her bag, she headed off to her car, which had several cardboard boxes of papers next to it. "I'll call. And I've got my cell. I'm not leaving you totally hanging…" she smiled. "I mean, the cell that the _scum_ doesn't have the number to. And please don't track me." She gave a knowing smile to her friends. "Don't come. Just… don't." For a second, she met Woody's eyes. The pain reflected in her eyes matched his own. She bit her lip, as if to keep from crying, and turned around. Loading the cardboard boxes onto her car, she got in, gave one last look to Garrett, and drove away.

Sorry guys, short, I know, and a long time in the making, but I had a major case of writers block, a bad track record for my first fanfic… anyway, this is just to set a scene for Jordan's being gone, etc., and hopefully I'll actually solidify a plot in my head. Also, I figured out that gasp I can reply to reviews! So I will. Thanks for your feedback. Again, sorry for how short this chapter is!


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